—...Oleg, why do you never listen to me? — Vicky sighed, adjusting my tie. — You shouldn’t be burying your talent in some ordinary clinic. You’re practically a PhD, an amazing diagnostician, and…
— Sharing knowledge isn’t burying talent, Vicky, — I smiled, pecking her on the cheek before grabbing my coat. — Besides, you know I’m this close to heading a diagnostics department. It’s already in the works.
— With your track record, you could’ve been at a private clinic ages ago, — she pressed on. — How many times have they offered you a spot? Even my dad… He’s brought it up more than once, asking you to join us.
I wanted to tell her what I really thought. To say that in a private clinic, I’d be diagnosing nothing more than runny noses in spoiled rich kids and their parents, and that would truly be a waste of talent. But I held my tongue. I knew Vicky loved me deeply and only wanted the best for me. I couldn’t snap at her like that, even though it saddened me that we seemed to understand each other less and less with each passing day.
— You know I love you, — she said, as if reading my mind, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around my shoulders. — Even that dimwit from our class, Kyle, has his own diagnostic practice at a private clinic now.
— Oh yeah, and all he’s good for is diagnosing sniffles, — I chuckled.
— But he’s probably making five times what you do, — she pouted like a child. — You never listen to me…
— Sorry, — I smiled softly. — But you’re doing what you love, right?
— What do you mean? — she asked, confused. — What’s that got to do with anything?
— Are you happy at your private clinic?
— It’s not mine, it’s Dad’s… — Vicky wrinkled her nose in that cute way of hers.
— That’s not what I meant, — I continued. — Do you enjoy working there?
— Well, yeah, — she looked at me, puzzled. — The pay is great. But what’s your point…
— And I enjoy diagnosing, — I kissed her on the nose and stepped back. — I’ve got to go.
— With all these shifts, you’re hardly ever home… At a private clinic, the hours are more regular, and again, the pay is so much better, — she said quietly, lowering her head. — Promise me you’ll think about it. And come home early…
— I’ll think about it, I promise, — I said, quickly slipping on my shoes, grabbing my bag of papers, and heading for the door. — See you tonight, Vicky.
— See you tonight, — she replied softly.
I gave her a quick smile and stepped out. I hurried down the stairs, exited the building, and made my way to the subway.
Truth be told, I wasn’t earning much, but I knew Vicky would let me do what I loved because her feelings for me weren’t about money. We’d been together for a long time, and things were good between us.
I reached the nearest station quickly and headed inside. I wondered how many truly talented and hardworking interns I’d get this time. Last year, I had two good ones; the year before that, none. Just a bunch of mediocrities. And in diagnostics, there’s no room for mediocrity. You need both talent and grit if you want to achieve anything worthwhile.
But the younger generation doesn’t want to put in the hard work. Though… was I really that different back then? It’s only been nine years. Wait, no, I finished my residency eleven years ago. So, there’s a twelve- or thirteen-year gap between me and them. Maybe even less with some.
The train arrived pretty quickly. At this early hour, there weren’t too many people. Vicky and I lived in an apartment almost downtown, and I worked at the central hospital, so it was just a couple of stops away.
While in the subway car, I spotted a friend, the head of the surgical department. He was a year older than me but acted like he was ten years younger. We often ran into each other on the way home, though rarely in the morning. He wasn’t the type to show up early and usually ran late, but he had golden hands. Surgeries under his lead, even the most complex ones, almost always ended successfully, even when the odds were slim.
As soon as Eli saw me, he made his way over. Just as he reached me, the train stopped, and we got off together.
— Hey, — he extended his hand.
— Hey, — I shook it in return. — What’s got you up so early?
— What else? The new interns are coming in today! — he grinned with a mischievous glint in his eye.
— Some things never change, — I smirked back.
— Easy for you to say, you’ve got a girlfriend. I’m single, man. I just want a little warmth, a little affection, you know, — Eli started his usual spiel.
I couldn’t help but think of our last batch of interns… Over two years, he’d, well… let’s just say he’d gotten to know half the female interns at our hospital. He was one of the reasons why so many of my female students—his and mine—underperformed. Not that there were many women in surgery to begin with. But there were plenty among the general practitioners. And those were the ones I’d be teaching diagnostics to. If I could find even a couple of decent ones, I’d take them under my wing for advanced diagnostics. Though I’d need to pick five in total… I just hoped at least one or two would be worth the effort.
— You’ve got to meet your quota this year, — Eli said, as if reading my thoughts, while we exited the subway and headed toward the hospital.
— Don’t remind me, — I sighed. — I have no idea how I’m supposed to pick five at once.
— Shouldn’t have turned your nose up at them for the past four years. Now you’re in a bind…
— And you, — I grinned. — You take on a bunch every year and still don’t hit your quota.
— At least I enjoy the company, — Eli shrugged.
By then, we’d reached our hospital. The biggest and best public one in the city. This was where the toughest surgeries happened, where the sickest patients were treated. This was where I did what I loved. This place was my fortress.
— Honestly, I’m starting to think women just aren’t cut out to be doctors, — I sighed.
— Not sure how that connects to what I said, — Eli burst out laughing.
— Instead of focusing on learning, they’re always getting distracted, flirting with someone. If it’s not the general practitioners, it’s surgeons like you. Then they end up treating patients just as poorly.
— Sounds a bit sexist, don’t you think? — Eli remarked as we approached my department.
— You’ve always got sex on the brain, — I smirked.
— Sex and sexism are two different things. And you call yourself a doctor?...
— What else would I call myself? — I turned toward the door, and at that exact moment, some blonde girl nearly crashed right into me…
Damn.